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From Grand Prix.com
Talk about the flea on the dogs tail
The bad news for Todt is that Stoddart will probably not be out of Formula 1 for long.
"For the next couple of months I have to get Ozjet up and running in Australia," said Stoddart on Sunday, "but after that I cannot see myself staying out of the sport. I just can't. You cannot just turn away from 10 years in the business and all my friends. This has been a very emotional weekend and I really haven't thought much about what happens next. I still love Formula 1 and that is really what is important."
Fun times ahead!
[Edited on 13/9/2005 by PistonBroke]
Comments
Come back soon Stoddie - we need you
On the other hand, forcing an agenda to appoint a special commissioner to oversee Formula One is probably in a lot of the aspirant's to the top job's interests.
BTW, all this business about concentrating on Ozjet would be getting under my skin if I was Hans Van Pelt. Here's a guy with a pedigree, who's title says CEO, and Stoddart is claiming the work..........hmm.
Latest newsletter for those interested:
Hello from OzJet, Australia's new business-class airline.
As we approach our launch, thank you for your interest in our exciting new venture.
Steady progress continues to be made with our application to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority for the Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) - the licence to fly. We believe we are on track to get the necessary regulatory approvals to begin taking bookings in October with a view to starting services between Sydney and Melbourne in late October or early November.
Since our last email update we have made considerable progress with both the Australian and United
Kingdom aviation regulatory bodies, to the point where our first aircraft are now in the process of
being transferred from the British to the Australian Aviation Register. This process is extensive and forms a key part of gaining an Australian AOC. It also means that two of the world's leading aviation authorities are satisfying themselves that OzJet is compliant in all aspects of operating a safe and reliable airline service.
Evidence of our progress with both the British and Australian authorities should see OzJet's first
Boeing 737 being registered in Australia next week as VH-OZQ.
Apart from our AOC application, lots of other work is going on to make sure OzJet delivers leading
on-time performance standards with consistently great customer service.
Our marketing plan is nearing completion and there will be lots of exciting announcements as our
operational start draws near. Our initial service schedule is being finalised, with focus on the
provision of peak-time services between Melbourne and Sydney. OzJet will start with 94 flights a week, including 16 sectors each business day between Australia's two biggest cities.
As well as enjoying the comforts of a full business-class service at fully-flexible economy fare
levels, OzJet passengers will have the opportunity to win unique prizes in our first three months of
operation. These will include thrill-of-a-lifetime rides in the two-seater Formula One cars of our
chairman Paul Stoddart's Grand Prix racing team, Minardi, and very special pieces of aviation
memorabilia - seats from the Concorde supersonic jet converted to office chairs!
OzJet's business-class service will be catered by Air Terminal Services (ATS) from newly-established
facilities in Melbourne and Sydney with complimentary beverages from the wide range offered by the
Foster's group of companies. Service in our cabins, which are configured exclusively with 60
business-class seats, will be by three highly-trained and customer service-orientated cabin crew.
Our cabin staff are looking forward to providing a genuine business-class service, with hot meals on
fine china plates rather than the "tuckshop" mentality that many airline passengers have had to endure in recent years.
OzJet tickets will be available via travel agents, on the Internet at www.ozjet.com.au and via OzJet's call-centre. All will be in e-ticket format and, in a unique development OzJet customers will be able to access their boarding pass at home or from the office via the Internet. This unique check-in process will be complimented by very favourable airport parking solutions that will mean OzJet customers needing to spend less time at airports before a flight. OzJet passengers will thus be able to use their time more productively on travel days. Those catching a morning peak service may even get a little more sleep knowing they have already completed the check-in process.
As OzJet's operational start draws closer more people are joining the OzJet team. This month we welcome our Chief Operating Officer, Captain David Blake, as well as our designated Maintenance Controller, Robert Stait.
Our first pilot group have completed their Australian based OzJet ground school training programs and those pilots are about to undergo further training with Mr Stoddart's long-established UK-based
operation, European Aviation.
Recruitment is underway for our call-centre staff and our first cabin crew intake is about to start its OzJet customer service training.
Staff in Melbourne are working from our new headquarters at Hewitt Way, off Garden Drive at Tullamarine - beside the freeway to Melbourne Airport. Soon we will be readily identifiable with a big 'OzJet - You're in Business!' sign on our building that you will see to your left as you head towards the airport, which is just 1.5km up the road.
These are exciting times for us at OzJet as we complete the set-up activities for Australia's newest
domestic airline. We look forward to sharing more of our product announcements with you and we can't
wait to greet you on board one of our Boeing 737 fleet and demonstrate to you our economy-priced,
business-class service.
Regards,
Hans van Pelt,
Chief Executive Officer,
OzJet Airlines Pty Ltd
Free rides in the two-seaters??
I wonder if that is still happenning. Did Stoddart sell them with Minardi?
from F1racing.net